What Lies Ahead
by xXSilent DreamerXx
Summary: AU. "All that ever came to you out there was pain and loss. But if you join me, you will be treated like royalty. If you join me, everyone will succumb to your will. If you join me... you will suffer no more." (I apologize for my hectic updating schedule)
1. Prolouge

**Alright. So this is my first fic. I wasn't able to write this out over summer since I was actually busy and I had major writers block on how to start this. Anyways, this may seem a bit AU at first, but this story won't really develop until later chapter. I doubt any of you actually read all of this.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kirby; he and the others belong to Hal and Nintendo**

_Prologue_

_POV: Unknown_

Why won't you listen to me? Have I ever done you any wrong?

You were created to rule by my side, and instead of seizing the opportunity to have thousands kneel at your feet, you abandoned me and chose to follow the so-called 'righteous' path. But, tell me, did any good ever come out of your choice?

Your beloved, lost amongst the stars. Your family, all dead, save the few that came to their senses and returned to me. Even after you lost everything, why won't you come?

Tell me, what is the point of living out there any longer? Why are you so persistent? You don't have anything left. All that ever came to you was suffering. But here, I will keep you out of harm's way. If anyone objects your decision to stay, just remember that I will always protect you. Keep that in mind.

Even after everything, why do you still betray me so? If it weren't for me, you would have never met your brother. If it weren't for me, your beloved would have never came. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have even _existed._

The time has come to make a decision. Join me, and you will be treated like royalty. Join me, and everyone will succumb to your will. Join me, and you will suffer no more.

_Foolish child. If only you knew what I have in store for you._

_End of Prologue_

**I am so so so sorry if that was too short, but prologues aren't usually very long. Reviews are appreciated as always, and constructive criticism is highly encouraged. :) I need to know what I'm doing wrong.**

**Until next update**

**- Arcoris**


	2. Blue Skies

**Yay! I got some reviews! :D I haven't to been able to update because of a truckload of homework the past couple of weeks. And I have to agree with you, Meta Knightmare is not original, but I have never seen anyone approach it quite exactly like I will. You guys really motivated me to write the next ch. Thanks and enjoy ch 1! Half of this chapter is a poem, just FYI.**

_15 Years Earlier_

_POV : Unknown_

_No painting could ever capture the true beauty of nature._

I sit amongst the flowers, feeling the sun warm up my back. The sweet aroma of blossoms cradles my nose. I am surrounded by every type of flower imaginable, each one in a unique color. Magenta, violet, gold, pearl. I settle on a particular blossom, one as blue as the sky, and tuck it into my coat pocket. Blue skies never last long.

Making my way to the front porch, I take a look back at the blue sky. Off in the distance, grey clouds were already creeping their way up from the horizon. I frowned. Why couldn't we spend a whole day in peace without having to worry about the dangers that lurk around the corner?

Glancing up once more, I pull out the flower and hold it up against the sky. Their hues matched perfectly. Oh, if only I could imagine the joy on Mother's face when I present her my gift.

As soon as I stepped inside, a loud boom echoed across the land.

_They_ were coming.

I imediately ran inside to search for Father and found him in the basement, already equipped with his armor and shield. He looked up from where he knelt when I came in. Father must have seen the worry on my face, for he walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry," he soothed. "Stay here in the basement where you will be safe. It will be alright."

But I was old enough to know that he was lying.

"Remember that I will always love you, he whispered into my ear before he disappeared out the door.

Nothing frightened me more than the attacks. I wouldn't doubt it if everyone else felt the same. The first signal was the clouds. Then comes the Arrival, as we call it, which is when the portal opens. The Arrival always causes thunder, but not the kind from a storm. It's almost metallic, like the loud humming of machinery.

The door opened, catching my attention. It was Mother. She stepped in slowly, her shawl wrapped tightly around her. Her face was etched with anxiety.

"Darling, are you alright?" she asked in her sweet voice.

"Yes, Mother," I replied. "Mother," I began, reaching into my pocket. "I have a gift for you."

My mother smiled. "Aw, sweetie. You shouldn't have." I pulled out the blossom and held it out to her. "It's lovely," she breathed, stroking the petals. I carefully tucked it behind her ear. The color brought out her blue eyes.

We went towards the back and ducked under the concrete ceiling. Mother looked at me with concern. "Its okay, sweetie. We will be fine."

"I know," I replied, aware that neither of us were speaking the truth.

A sudden yell drew our attention towards the basement window that overlooked the valley. Mother got up and stood in front of it to see what was going on. I followed, except I was still a tad too short to see through the high window. I quickly made a tower out of small boxes to use as a stool. Once I managed to climbed to the top, I saw why everyone was getting worried. The clouds had already covered the entire sky, but there was no sign of _them _anywhere.

The soldiers began to murmur amongst themselves saying that they were "wasting time." The clouds were a "false alarm," said another. Others were simply terrified that something bigger was about to come.

They were right.

A low rumble shook the ground. A few heads popped out of the crowd and began to search for the source. "It's coming from Mt. Alsos!" a soldier shouted, pointing at the peak. We all followed his gaze towards the peak. I gasped when I noticed that it was emitting smoke.

A few of the soldiers began to panic once they realized Alsos was going to erupt. My father was the first to calm down and take action. "Everyone seek shelter in the spring caves!" he ordered. The soldiers nodded and made a dash for the opposite end of the valley.

Another tremor shook the ground, causing me to lose my balance and fall off the boxes. My mother gasped and caught me just before I hit the ground. She quickly put me down and said, " You need to get to the caves as fast as you can. I will assist your Father with the evacuation." She grabbed a shield and was about to leave when I protested.

"Please don't leave me Mother! What if I don't make it to the caves?"

My mother smiled at me, and brought me into an embrace. "Trust me, you will make it," she reassured. "If I don't make it back, keep this in memory of me." She took the flower, my gift, and placed it behind my ear. Tears began to flow from my eyes. _Nonono I don't want this._

"_I love you, sweetie_." And she was gone.

I took a deep breath and wiped away the tears. I needed to focus on getting to safety. Before I left, I took a peek back at the volcano, and realized with horror and dread that fiery rocks were beginning to pour from the skies.

Panicked, I grasped the nearest shield and ran outside. I grabbed the shield with one hand and held it over my head for protection. The other covered my nose and mouth so as not to inhale the dust. I ran into my father, who was guiding small children towards the outskirts of the village. He noticed me and grabbed my arm. "Come on. We need to leave," he said before running through the debris, dragging me along with him.

We were halfway across the village when the firestorm suddenly stopped, followed by an eerie silence. Confused, Father halted and drew out his sword. "Stay still," he whispered. " I barely nodded, frozen with fear of what might come next. Then I heard it. At first, it sounded soft and distant, like the wind, then the sound gradually increased until it seemed that it was coming from right above us.

After another unearthly shriek, the thundering returned, and a great dragon appeared from the clouds. The beast dove down towards us. We were its prey.

"Run!" shouted my father, and shoved me ahead of him right before he was consumed by flames.

o o o

_The fire dances in red and gold_

_Upon the flesh of the one and bold_

_I cried, No this cannot be!_

_How can the captured had once been so free?_

_. . ._

_The dust stilled, I made my move_

_To my father whose life had been removed_

_I mourned, He hath breathed his last breath!_

_Fate had taken all I had left!_

_. . ._

_He lay in shreds, his clothes all burnt_

_And what am I supposed to have learnt?_

_I remained silent, not saying a word_

_Until a raspy breath from him I heard_

_. . ._

_Oh, joy! Father you're still alive!_

_Fate tricked me saying you had died!_

_He looked at me, eyes bright green_

_Nothing could go wrong, or so it seemed_

_. . ._

_My daughter, he said. Please come near_

_There's something I need for you to hear_

_No, father! A tear slipped down my face_

_Do not leave me here in this cruel place!_

_. . ._

_He held up his sword which lay on the ground _

_I believe this is what destiny meant for you to have found_

_No, father! Why do you believe that you already fell?_

_Had destiny meant for you to go as well?_

_. . ._

_My love, please take my sword _

_In remembrance of my final word_

_He placed the weapon upon my hand_

_It glowed the color of the sky in this land_

_. . ._

_My sweet, I always will love and protect you_

_Smiling down from the sky so blue_

_Whenever you gaze upon the stars up high_

_Think of my soul as the brightest in the sky_

_. . ._

_With that, his eyes faded from the bright green_

_And what is all this supposed to mean? _

_I sat still, not knowing what to do_

_Is this what my life will eventually come to?_

. . .

_No. This is nothing but a dream_

_I will wake up, and once more see the sun's gleam_

_We will dance and laugh all night at town square_

_We will let our worries drift away without a care_

_. . ._

_A world where peace actually existed_

_Where eyes would have shined and faces would be lifted_

_A world where there wasn't a single cry_

_A world where there were blue skies_

_. . ._

_This world does not exist, and it never will._

_. . ._

_A sudden chill ran up my spine._

_I grabbed the hilt. It is time_

_Bracing myself, I came face to face with the beast from before_

_Oh, I see you've come for more_

_. . ._

_The dragon let out an ear splitting roar_

_It was unlike any I've ever heard before_

_Come on, go on. Make your move_

_I've come for revenge. I've come for you_

_. . ._

_It was an ugly thing, with claws the length of my arm_

_It grinned, showing off its fangs with charm_

_Its skin was green like the mold in autumn _

_Covered in slick scales from top to bottom_

_. . ._

_Impatient, I charged, letting red soak the earth_

_At least I will avenge him, that's all that's worth_

_The beast clawed at me, gashing my chest_

_No! Father would want me to give me best!_

_. . ._

_He clawed once more, cutting deep_

_The pain was enough to ensure eternal sleep_

_He pinned me up, perhaps planning how to eat me_

_When out of the mist, a pink flash, the rush of wind. Had someone come to save me?_

_. . ._

_No that is not true_

_Everyone is dead, except you_

_Go on, you can slay this beast_

_After victory, you shall have the feast_

_. . ._

_Its grip tightened, almost choking me_

_Will I ever again become free?_

_To fly with the wind, to swim with the river_

_But all I could ever manage was quiver_

_. . ._

_Suddenly a figure leapt onto its neck, riding the beast like a stallion_

_Slashing and striking upon the fearful dragon_

_They took to the skies, disappearing above the clouds_

_If that were me, oh how father would be proud!_

_. . ._

_A flash of lightning, then an unearthly howl_

_Proved the beast had fallen to the earth's bowel_

_And I just watched the scene in awe_

_All while I lay on the floor, bleeding from the wound by his claw_

_. . ._

_Then she came, floating down_

_And saw how in my own blood I drowned_

_She wrapped me in her wings, ever so gentle_

_Oh, how I swore she was an angel!_

_. . ._

_Sent from the sky to save me_

_This grateful I'll never be_

_. . ._

_Oh, if only there were blue skies_

_. . ._

_This is nothing but a dream_

o o o

**Wow. 25 stanzas. That was a bit longer than I imagined this would be. For some reason, poetry comes easier to me than prose, although its harder to be more descriptive in poetry. Hope y'all enjoyed that ^.^ Expect another update in a couple of weeks!**


	3. Calm Before the Storm

**Several millennium later, I finally updated this. School is hard... :'(**

**Louisien: in my opinion, your review wasn't very harsh, or at least I didn't take it that way. I thought it was nice of you to express your opinion, and I appreciate that. :)**

**I made this chapter much longer to make up for the delay**

**The cover art is finally up! ^^**

_That same day_

_POV: Meta Knight- Age 14_

_Planet Orbis- Queendom of Vistula_

_My home is no longer safe._

_That was the only phrase that kept repeating itself in my mind, over and over until its meaning was lost to the wind, disappearing into the fiery wall that surrounds flames licked at my face. They made my eyes burn and my lungs choke on the very air I had to breathe. _

_"I'm surprised that you don't remember." _

_That voice..._

_I gasped, only to begin coughing again. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words ever came out. The voice only chuckled._

_"Do you know who I am?"_

_No. I don't know who you are. What is this place? Why have you brought me here? I looked down at myself and saw that my skin was burnt, my clothes all in tatters. _

_Why is this happening?_

_No response._

_Out of the corner of my eye, something moved. It was not a shadow cast by the flames, nor a building beginning to collapse, but instead a living being. Despite the heat, I shivered. I wasn't alone._

_"Foolish child. Why are you afraid?"_

_I am afraid because I've seen everyone die before me, just out of arm's reach from being saved. My homeland has been destroyed, and now you're saying I shouldn't be afraid?!_

_He chuckled. "If only you knew the great favor I am doing you."_

_The shadow stepped out of the flames. I braced myself, expecting a fight, but instead he just stood there, looking down on my figure. Although his facial features were shadowed, I could tell he was grinning. _

_Then, he drew out a blade, thrice my size, and held it inches from my face. _

O O O

I practically jumped out of the bed, only to bump into the bottom of the top bunk. I gently massaged my temples, the skin drenched with sweat. What was that dream about? It had seemed so real, almost like a memory. It was almost if I would one day wake up, only to the discover that _this _was the dream, and those memories were reality, the truth about my life.

But if they were memories, why couldn't I remember?

Once the throbbing stopped, I began to concentrate, focusing on any event from the dream, but to no avail. Soon, every wisp of memory was gone, blowing out into the cool mountain air, just out of reach.

I sighed, pulling the covers off my body. My feet made contact with the smooth wooden floor, still chilly from the night. I grabbed the cover and neatly folded it on the bed, careful not to make much noise. There were still soft snores coming from the top bunk. The bed across the room, however, was empty. Dragato must have woken up already.

I quietly made my way towards the bathroom as to not wake Dark. I tensed as I heard him shift; Dark was prone to having a short temper, unlike me, and so no one dared to put him on edge.

For as long as I could remember, it had always been the four of us: my older brother, Dragato, my older twin, Dark, and my father. This made me the youngest one. Neither I nor Dark knew who are mother was. Countless times we had asked my father about her, but his eyes would always cloud over and began to shift between Dark and I as if he were hiding something. He always tried to avoid the topic, saying that she died when we were little, and that we were still too young to know the story. Dragato would shift uncomfortably, oddly silent during those conversations.

Dark was the silent, short-tempered type. He looked identical to me, except he had a slighter build, despite being older than me, and his skin was darker, hence his nickname. He's highly intelligent and sort of a book worm, but no one ever makes fun of him ever since they witnessed his rage. He was the kind of guy who didn't mind sitting alone at lunch. In fact, he enjoyed the solitude. Gives him time to think, I guess. We don't talk much, but we get along pretty well.

Dragato, on the other hand, loves to receive attention. Unlike us, he had pink skin and blue eyes similar to our father. He is into athletics, and enjoys flexing his muscles at the girls. I find him to be pretty annoying, and so does Dark. However, unlike Dark, I have learned to endure his cocky moments.

My real name is Magnus, but everyone tends to call me Meta for some odd reason. Maybe it's because of the way I hold myself, always trustworthy, always looking out for those who have grown on me. Maybe it's because I've always known how to stand up for myself, even though I'm the youngest. I am a bit tougher than Dark, although it's very difficult to tip me off. I admit, I do have trust issues; not everyone gets the luxury of earning their credibility towards me. I must also admit that I am shy, and that I it hard to find those who I can freely be open to.

I grabbed a towel before I stepped inside the bathroom, locking the door silently behind me. Despite being chilly outside, a nice cold shower would hopefully clear out my mind. I turned on the faucet, and soon, a spray of cold water splashed against my back. The cool liquid eased my headache, allowing me to recover from the nightmare.

O O O

I stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed. I rubbed the soft towel on my skin until I was dry, then walked out of the bathroom and donned a black cloak and some boots from the wardrobe. After hanging the towel on a hook on the wall to let it dry, I saw that Dragato had returned.

"Good morning, Mety," he greeted cheerfully.

I sighed in agitation. "Don't call me Mety. Ever."

He chuckled, much to my annoyance. "You know you look so _cute _when you're angry." A pause. "_Mety._" He grinned.

I decided to ignore that. I glanced at the clock. 8:00am. Snoring was still coming from the top bunk. "Hey, it's pretty late. Why don't you wake up Dark?" I asked. It took me second to realize I shouldn't have asked him to do such a task. I instantly regretted what I had just said.

"Why," he began, popping his knuckles. "It'll be a pleasure." He grabbed a bucket from the closet and began to make his way to the bathroom.

"No!" I protested, blocking his way. It didn't really work; he was almost twice my height and had broad shoulders with a thick, muscular build.

To my surprise, he chuckled and set the bucket down. He must've seen the look on my face, for he began to struggle to not burst into a fit of laughter. "I got ya there, didn't I?" He shook his head. "Even I know not to do such a thing. Have you seen the dude when he's mad?!"

"Who, me?"

Dragato spun around towards the voice. I stood on my tiptoes to get a peek over his shoulder. There, peeking out of the top bunk's covers, was an irritated, sleepy Dark, his yellow eyes slowly turning red.

"He just proved my point," I heard Dragato whisper. He walked up to the bunk, just as Dark leapt off the bed. "Chill, little bro. No need to get so angry."

Dark glared at him. "Why did you have to wake me up, huh?" he demanded.

"You overslept. And besides, we're going camping today. Don't you like camping?"

Dark went silent. Soon, his eyes faded back to yellow and began to develop a slight blue ring. "Fine, I'll chill." He gave one final glare at Dragato before he began to make his way to the bathroom, where I stood. His eyes turned white with shock when he noticed my presence. "Oh. Hey, Meta," he greeted, then he walked into the bathroom, shutting the door silently.

Dragato walked out of the room, muttering something about Dark's crazy mood swings, leaving me alone in the bedroom.

I reflected back on what Dragato mentioned earlier. Camping. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about it. All three of us always looked forward to the mountain treks with our father. We would go hunting, camping, and fishing, and he would tell us about the wonders of nature. It had become my favorite hobby.

My father was a kind, yet superior character. He had a patience like none I've ever seen, and a fascination for discovery and teaching. Arthur. That was his name. A name of respect and authority. Of strength and kindness. Even the Queen Herself considered him of 'utmost importance to our community,' as she put it. If need be, she said, he would be appointed as commander of the Queen's army.

I took out my backpack from the closet, as well as my secret stash of chocolate, and set them down in front of the wardrobe. I began to scan through my clothing and belongings, selecting those that will be most useful in our trip. Sleeping bag, hunting knife, a warm coat.

I stuffed them into the backpack, except for the knife, and swung it over my shoulders. I picked up the knife. It was a sturdy 10 inches of smooth metal, with a fine, sharp point and a deadly jagged edge. I sheathed it, and secured it on a strap on my cloak for safety. You never know what might encounter you in the wilderness.

After double-checking that I had gotten everything, I made my way to the door and stepped into the chilly hallway. Portraits of our family hung on the wall, but not a single one of them featured my mother.

A sweet aroma wafted from the end of the hallway, making my stomach grumble with longing.

I walked down the corridor, which led to an open room. The room was divided in half by an archway. One half had the kitchen, all cluttered with cooking utensils and the like; the other had a small table and was adorned with a simple painting and a hanging lamp.

The sound of clanking dishes and the sweet smell of homemade pancakes came from the kitchen half. My father stepped out of the archway, already dressed in his hiking boots and a tan cloak, much similar to mine. He carried a small plate stacked with pancakes, along with cup of syrup. He stopped midway and turned around to smile at me.

"Good morning, Magnus," he greeted.

"Good morning, dad," I replied. I eyed the table. "May I be of assistance?"

"Oh, thank you. Can you go fetch the butter?"

I nodded and walked through the archway that led to the kitchen, setting down my backpack against the wall along the way. Inside were quite an assortment of culinary tools, all cluttered on the counters surrounding the oven. Pieces of meat from the last hunt lay neatly on one counter, unlike the mess around it. Making my way through the mess, I opened the cupboard, which held all of our stored food. I scanned the items until my eyes laid on the ice box on the floor. After retrieving the butter from inside, I made my way back to the table, where Dark and Dragato were already sitting down. I set the butter on a small plate in the center.

A moment later, my father stepped in. He sat in the front chair, smiling warmly at the three of us. We sat in silence, waiting for his permission.

Dark's stomach grumbled loudly.

My father gave a hearty laugh. "Let us eat."

O O O

A couple of hours later, we were making our way along a mountain trail, searching for wild game and a suitable place to set up a camp. To the east, the sun gleamed down on Vistulaire, the capital. The Vistula Mountains separated our town, Kraron, from Vistulaire, and it could only be reached through the pass known as Winter's Way. The path was known to fill up during the snowfalls of winter, and was prone to having biting winds that always blew in from the east, bringing cold air to Kraron. But it was either Winter's Way, or one would have to travel north all the way to Crystal Falls, where the next mountain pass was.

We came to a clearing where the tall pines towered around us, protecting us from the frosty wind. My father set down his bag on the ground. "We'll set up camp here."

I nodded. The pines provided us with both firewood and shelter, and we didn't seem to be too close to any of the cliffs. I slid off my backpack and sat on it, quite tired from the long trek uphill. Overhead, the sun shined down through the clearing. Nevertheless, the frost still clung to the branches and needles, unmoving. They shimmered in the sunlight, casting specks of light in my direction in the slight breeze.

I looked back at my older brothers. Dragato was also sitting down on his bag and had taken out a waterskin. Dark, however, was still standing, gazing at the scenery before him.

My father looked up at us and cleared his throat. Time for the usual drill. We looked at him, waiting for our tasks. "Dragato and I will go hunt. Magnus, you and Davian will go and collect firewood. Be back before sundown." With that, he stood up and took out his hunting knife. Then, the two of them left for the woods.

I glanced over at Dark. He motioned for me to come closer. Once I stood by his side, he tapped me on the shoulder and pointed up at the pines.

We had a twin-like relationship in which both of us knew what the other was thinking, all in an exchange of glances. No words were needed to be spoken, and that was how I preferred it to be.

I followed his gaze and I instantly knew what he meant. The pines didn't produce branches for a good forty feet above the ground. I looked back at Dark, who had a devilish smirk against his face.

He liftedt he back of his cloak, and two black leather wings sprung out from underneath. I smiled. Our wings were our little secret; ever since they had grown, we vowed to not tell another living soul about them unless absolutely necessary. They possessed a demon-like quality, one that the world shouldn't know about yet. Nevertheless, the joy of flight was pretty amazing, and we jumped at the opportunity to use our wings in secret.

I copied his movements, letting my indigo wings stretch out fully. I felt the tough muscle expand, waiting for me to command it to my will.

"First one to the top wins."

We both got into takeoff position, and in the blink of an eye, we were off, flapping our wings in the frosty air. As luck would have it, we tied. Both of us reached the top of the enormous pine at the exact same moment, panting out puffs of air.

I took a moment to catch my breath, watching as my breathing became white clouds before me, then dissolving into the wind. Once my lungs adjusted, I lifted my face to get a view of the the valley, with its snow peaked mountains and never ending pine forest. From this altitude, I had a perfect view of Vistulaire through the pass and Kraron, as well as Firefly Pond, which was not too far from here.

I turned over to Dark, who had managed to lower himself to nearby branch and now sat there, he cheeks all pink from the chilly wind. Noticing he wasn't looking at me, I took the opportunity to shake a small branch above him, causing little crystals to rain down on him.

He looked up, startled. Then, grinning, he took out his hunting knife and hacked at the branch I sat on. My wings were already spread, so I leapt up just in time. The branch fell off with a crash, and remained suspended in the thick vegetation below.

"Nice try." I unsheathed my own hunting knife and slashed at a needle branch. Dark dodged narrowly, and the small bundle tumbled down to the forest floor, making a _thump _sound as it landed on the frost.

His eyes were glowing a bright pink by now, and I bet mine were too. He extended his wings to their full size, lifting himself up into the air. Then, he took off towards the pond. I followed, amused be this new game of tag.

I felt the rush of wind beneath my wings as I soared over the forest. Nearby, Firefly Pond shimmered from another clearing, the sunlight dancing on the surface. I descended.

I landed on the muddy shores of the pond. Frost still clung to the edges of the water, and small fish swam about the clear liquid. I looked around.

No sign of Dark.

A small rustling came from the canopy. I turned my head towards the noise. A small flash of grey ruffled the leaves and disappeared into the vegetation. I smiled.

I flew up and out of the clearing silently, hoping he hadn't heard me. I landed on the canopy, close to where I had seen the flash. In the shade of the branches, two yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. I approached.

There, in the midst of the branches was Dark, facing away from me.

"I know you're there, Meta." The yellow glow took on a pink hue. Then it turned a solemn indigo. I shifted, confused by this sudden shift of mood. My eyes turned dark green from confusion. It was moments like these where we couldn't solely rely on mind-reading.

"Look, Meta, this has been fun and all, but..." he trailed off. He turned to face me with sad eyes. He sighed and closed them."I don't know how to explain myself..."

At that moment, I had the strangest feeling. Out there, something shifted, making itself known to me. It felt like it was approaching, slowly making its way towards us. It was both fascinating and terrifying; a mix of wonder from this knowledge, but also of fear of what was to come.

My world seemed a lot smaller all of a sudden.

He opened his eyes. He must have seen my shock by the way his eyes turned a rich emerald. "You felt it too?" he asked.

I nodded. "It was strange."

"Sure was. I don't know why, but I feel like this will be one of the last times when we could enjoy this simplicity and joy. Like the calm before a storm..."

My eyes faded to a thoughtful green. Again, the object shifted, picking up speed. Neither of us knew how we could sense it; it was pure instinct. I couldn't help but feel as though the world as we knew it would be changed forever.

My thoughts immediately shifted to Nightmare. I had heard countless tales about him and his vast army, and my father always tells us we are lucky that our planet was still safely out of his grasps. But I always had my doubts.

I shifted my attention back to my twin. "Could it be, you know...?" I questioned.

He looked up, startled. "I don't know," he replied softly. "And I don't want to know."

We sat in silence for a while, gazing down at the pond. Judging by how the sun was slightly tilted to the west, almost concealed behind by the tallest of the mountains, it was about early afternoon. Soon, the sun would disappear behind the stone, and the valley would be cast under the mountain's shadow.

O O O

A little while later, we were back on the pine canopy, chopping off dry, brittle branches to use as firewood. We worked diligently, quickly, not a single one of us uttering a word. That was the beauty of being out here in nature. The silence.

After gathering enough kindling, we made our way back to the clearing. We then dug out a small pit and tossed some of the wood inside. I rubbed some flint and my hunting knife together. Soon, the sparks landed on the firewood, and a small flame burst to life.

We fanned the fire and fed it more wood to keep it alive. After our work was done, we sat back down on some large stones we had dragged here and drank from our waterskins, letting the fire warm our hands.

A few moments later, Dragato and my father emerged from the forest, carrying a small deer. They set it down, and my father began the process of gutting the animal in preparation for eating. He sliced off the hide and laid it out in the sun, then began to make marks across the flesh with his knife. I looked away in disgust as the blood began to pour. My siblings looked on with interest; they had become immune to the gore.

My father walked up to the fireplace in front of me and began to fumble with the pile of kindling. He took out a particularly sharp branch, carried it back to the meat, and came back with a slab of flesh driven through the stake. After shaking some herbs and salt from his bag onto the meat, the stake was set lying on two of the stones, with the meat just above the flames.

The fire danced around our meal, licking it to a crisp brown. Soon, the smell of the herbs wafted into the air, reminding me I haven't ate since this morning.

Eventually, the deer meat was finished cooking, and a warm pot of tea lay beside the fire. Dark and I had just finished setting up the tent, and our growling stomachs pleaded to us for nourishment.

The sun had disappeared behind the mountains by now, making the fire the only source of light. Its golden glow cast shadows of our figures, and made the woods vanish into nothing but darkness.

My father had taken out four wooden bowls- one for each of us- and was dividing the meat into equal portions. He laddled out the tea into four cups, and passed one out to each of us, then took out some bread from his sack.

We sat down in a circle around the fireplace, the food and drink in our laps. After giving us the approval, we began to eat. The venison tasted delightful; it was seasoned with a hint of garlic, giving a rich taste. I devoured it all surprisingly quickly. My father eyed my empty plate.

"You were hungry, weren't you." he asked after a sip of tea.

I nodded, then turned to Dark, giving him a look that questioned, _Should I tell him?_

His eyes turned green around the edges as he contemplated the decision. A second later, he nodded slowly.

I took another sip of tea and cleared my throat. "Father, do you think that we will one day be held victim to Nightmare's forces?"

His eyes glazed over in thought. "It is possible," he replied softly. "Many of our planet trading partners have already fallen. It is frightening to think that we are next." He gazed down at the floor, avoiding eye contact.

"What happens if we are attacked?" asked Dragato.

"Then, we must fight back, and do whatever it takes to defend ourselves and everything and everyone we love." He paused, as if weighing his words. "My sons, remember that I always will and do love you, and if we happen to be attacked, know that I would risk my life for you. If anything happens to me, I would want you to stay strong and never lose hope, no matter how difficult times may seem."

With that, he set his cup down and we crawled into the tent for the night. He stood at the front of the tent, embracing each one of us as we entered. He pulled me into his strong arms, and for a moment, I could sense the fear in his heart.

O O O

_The figure stood before me, his sword pointed between my eyes. In the blade's reflection, I saw my own terrified face, flames in the background._

_Why must you do this to me?_

_"It was simply a matter of fate. How could you be so ignorant?"_

_You're lying. _

_The figure scoffed. "Foolish child. I am doing you a great favor."_

_He held up the sword as it began to cackle with energy. _

_Then he swung._

O O O

Night. When the moon overtakes the sun, and the stars join to light up the sky. Owls hooted in the foliage, and the mountain air whispered through the trees. Those were comforting sounds, but were now interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

My yellow eyes were dim from still being half asleep. They began to brighten up slowly, up to the point were I could make out the faces of my brothers and my father.

The footsteps were closer now, gaining up speed along with my heartbeat. I forced myself to calm down. Perhaps it was just a deer wandering about, posing no danger.

The tapping slowed, going back to the soft crunching of leaves and ground frost. They approached, the crunching coming distinctly from the entrance to the cave, marked by heavy breathing. My breaths, however, stopped as I silently begged for the others to stop snoring. For a moment, I felt as I should wake up my father at least, but instead I sat there, frozen.

"Arthur, are you in there?" a familiar, northern-accented voice spoke. "Sorry to wake you at this ungodly hour sir, but I have urgent news! Sir?"

My father stirred upon hearing the voice. His blue eyes snapped open. He noticed how I had woken. "It's alright. Go back to sleep," he whispered. He sat himself up and opened the tent.

There, in the darkness, stood Jecra's father. He and my father had always been close friends, and had resulted in Jecra himself becoming a dear friend of mine.

"Orion, my good friend," greeted my father. " What brings you here?"

"Sir, I have urgent news." he spoke between pants of breath.

My father leaned in, intrigued. "Mhm."

Orion's eyes were wide with panic now. He kneeled down and put both of his hands on my father's shoulders. "It happened..." A tear slipped down his cheek.

"What happened, Orion?" My father had look of shock on his face, while I felt horror as I prepared for the worst.

"The capital...Vistulaire. It's been attacked..." Orion took a deep breath. "Nightmare has found us."

My heart skipped a beat.

_Your home is no longer safe..._


	4. Into the Flames

_POV: Meta Knight_

_Queendom of Vistula_

Early spring was not considered the ideal time of year to cross Winter's Way, as snow stilled covered the pass, and ice hung from cliffs overhead. Yet we still ran through the mountain pass, the horrid news still fresh in our minds.

Orion and my father had immediately agreed to head back to Kraron, recruit some men, and hurry onward to Vistulaire. We had gathered most of our belongings and left them back at the village.

To the east, the sun was shining. Or so it looked.

As we neared the capital, the crisp mountain air vanished, replace by scorching heat and the smell of ashes. When I got a glimpse of the city, I stopped, frozen with horror. A golden glow came from the east, like the light of a sunrise. The entire city was engulfed in flames, many of the palace's majestic towers fallen.

Several of the men halted, entranced by the flaming city. Some took off their hats, mourning for the lives that had undoubtedly been lost. "Our Queen is dead..." murmured one. He bowed down, a look of grief on his face.

I continued to stare at the golden flames eating up the city. A few citizens had managed to escape and now ran towards the pass. However, they were _very _few considering the size of the city, which made me think only the worst could have transpired. I instinctively reached for my knife as a roar called out from within the capital.

Frightening, how one can turn to the blade so quickly.

One of the more respected men, Zoran, stepped towards the front of the group. His eyes were clouded with worry, his beard still undone from having to wake early. We all turned to him, silent. Ashes flew through the air, making the pass hazy and surreal.

"Men," he began. "Every second we spend here is worth the death of a hundred. We must move forward and rescue any survivors, knowing that if we stand doing nothing, the future will collapse before us." He motioned to the city of flames. "Onward, men!"

We sprinted towards the flaring capital, holding up our coats to our nostrils to avoid breathing in the ashes. The smoke became thicker; I missed the crispness of the mountains. Soon, my vision was reduced to a mere few feet, to the point where even my hands were enveloped in the smoke's shadows.

My heart pounded. I was alone, at the mercy of whatever beast found me.

Silence. In the woods, it signaled danger. The animals would all go quiet- even the gurgling of a stream ceased to make a sound. The flames halted in their crackling, the ashes drifted slowly like the snow of winter, the roars and screams of men disappeared.

Silence.

Soon, out of the smoke, two glowing eyes met mine.

My hand rested on the handle of my knife. I slowly drew it out, reminding myself that this was a beast of darkness, that I could defend myself if need be. Visions of blood pouring flooded my mind, making me feel faint.

Slowly, I stood up straighter, glaring daggers right back at the beast. I could do this.

A low growl escaped its lips, daring me to make another move.

It stepped closer, until the outline of a wolf's face materialized from the ashes. It was about thrice my height, with fangs as long as my knife. Adrenaline began to pump through my veins, preparing me for what lay in store.

With a huff of its breath, the ashes cleared. Behind him lay the once gleaming palace, now consumed by the inferno. The jewel on the wolf's forehead glowed for a fleeting second.

Then, without a sound, I was running.

I ran as fast as my feet could carry me, over ashes and debris. Soon, I found myself inside a building. I leaned against the wall, panting, hoping the beast didn't follow me. Hoping I wasn't dead.

All around me, familiar voices screamed in agony, pleading that this was not reality.

Then I heard the scream of a woman, coming from deeper within the building. I forced myself to trudge through the ashes, several inches deep now. A smoke filled hallway tempted me to explore it, lulling me in with the weeps of the poor woman. I came to a large gallery, once glorious with its colorful mosaic windows, and I realized I was in the palace.

Her wails echoed off the walls, piercing through my groggy mind. Crisp and clear, like the air of the mountains. The shades of golden light began to blur together, only sharpened with her cries of agony.

Silence. Sliced apart with a pleading voice. Crying for mercy, for the peace that had once existed.

The glass of a fallen chandelier, crushed beneath my leather boots. Orange light. Gusts of smoke and heat.

A roar.

My eyes stung. More smoke. Her screams. A small room at the end of a corridor. Weeping.

A small girl lying on a burnt bed. A shadow of a wolf.

Silence.

A sharp pain on the back of my neck. My vision cleared. I stabbed at it on instinct. Glowing eyes, the jewel, her weeping silenced. The shadow left.

I carried the girl over my shoulder. I spread my wings. The smell of burning flesh. I flew through the fire, up and out of a hole in the roof. Towards the pass.

Blood flowing. Snow. Ashes. The girl didn't move.

Fire in the distance. Foggy vision, exhaustion. Echoing shouts.

I collapsed on the snow beside her.

O O O

_Blood flowed from my wounds as the figure smiled at me. The pool turned from red to black, the flames from gold to blue._

_"Pain is a good thing, foolish mortal."_

_He wiped my blood off the blade with a cloth, then began to lick it off. I watched in horror as he crept closer to me, his breath smelling of my flesh. _

_Why must you make me suffer?!_

_He smiled and dabbed the cloth on the pool of blood on the floor. "It was your choice. Actions have their consequences."_

_He stood up to his full height. Behind him, two glowing eyes stared into mine._

_"Familiar?"_

_The eyes stepped out of the flames. There, before me, was the wolf I had seen earlier._

_The wolf lunged at me._

O O O

I opened my eyes to a few blurry figures leaning over me. My body was numb. Their voices were distant. I tried to wake, but my eyes closed again.

...

I was alone, the only sound was that of my breathing. My vision was obscured by fogginess. My arms were sore.

Someone across the room shifted. Footsteps. A blurry figure leaned over another. I closed my eyes once more.

...

I was back in my room. Bandages held me from moving much. My head pounded. I was on Dragato's bed, my bunk across the room. Someone was in bottom bunk. Purple hair. The person turned around, still asleep.

It was a girl.

The memories of last night began running through my head all at once. I felt sick as the images of blood and ashes returned. Leaning over the edge, I retched painfully. Bits of blood came out with my spit, and I felt dizzy.

Footsteps echoed through my groggy mind.

...

I was wakened by the sensation of someone stroking my face. Soft hair hanged down, brushing against my side. I opened my eyes, and came face to face with the girl. Her soft red eyes were clouded with worry. She smelled of ashes.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

My vision cleared up completely. I studied her for a moment. She was beautiful, I would admit, with her flowing lavender hair and white silk dress, although it was a bit tattered and burned. She looked to be about my age, maybe a bit younger. The girl was rather unharmed, save for a few minor burns and scratches.

"Yes," I managed to choke through my rough throat.

She smiled. "I can't thank you enough for saving me."

I froze at her words. My mind throbbed as flashes of memory came back to me. "What exactly happened last night?"

Her eyes widened as she suddenly stiffened. "I'd rather not talk about it..." Her eyes began to shine over as she forced the tears to stay in. The sight of her like this touched me somehow, and I instantly regretted asking her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean t-"

"No, no. It's quite alright." She forced a smile. I sat in silence, not knowing how to respond.

Her soft hands stroked over one of my burns, causing me to tense up from the pain. She looked down at her hands as I moved, then quickly took them off. I missed the warmth as soon as it left.

"Sorry..." she whispered. Then she looked at me funny. "Your eyes...I could've sworn they changed color. Weren't they yellow?"

"Yeah, they do that wh-"

The sound of footsteps interrupted me and diverted my attention to the doorway. Dragato walked in, carrying a bowl of soup. He smiled smugly when he saw how the girl sat on the bed. "Oh, Mety. Bout time you got yourself a girl. Little bro's finally growing up." He mimicked wiping a tear off his face. Eyeing the girl, he gave a slight bow. "Sorry about that, Miss."

I blushed. The girl looked towards me and shifted awkwardly.

Dragato walked up to me with the bowl of soup. "Ya really went too far last night. Had us all worried," he muttered. "Now, try to sit up."

I pushed my hands down on the mattress, forcing my back to lift up. A sudden pain shot through my side, causing me to collapse on the bed painfully. The girl jumped with shock. "Are you alright?" she asked anxiously.

"Yea, just...a little hurt." I tried to sit up again, but fell back down on the bed. A hiss escaped my lips as one of my wounds scraped against the wall. Both Dragato and the girl winced.

"Ok," began Dragato. "Lemme help ya." He set the bowl on the nightstand. Using his tough arms, he picked me up, surprisingly gentle. He then set me back down sitting upright against the pillows.

"Thanks," I managed.

"Your arms aren't hurt; you should be able to eat by yourself," he said. "Unless you want me to spoon feed ya." He smirked, while the girl rolled her eyes. I glared at him and began to spoon the soup into my mouth myself.

Dragato sat down on the bottom bunk across from me. "Must have been a helluva fight you got into back there. What exactly did you do?!" he questioned.

"Can't remember," I half-lied between mouthfuls of stew.

"Shame."

"I remember..." the girl said quietly. Her voiced cracked halfway through her sentence. I shot her a look of concern.

Dragato studied her for a long moment, strangely silent. After what seemed like an eternity, he got up, gave a curt bow to the girl, and left.

I eyed the girl, who was staring at the floor with clouded eyes. I wasn't normally the type to start up a conversation, but it was worth a shot. I remembered Dragato bowing to the girl, which was rather odd given he didn't have the best of manners.

_Why do people bow to you? _Stupid question.

I sipped down the remainder of the soup and set the bowl back on the nightstand. I shifted, getting ready to lie back down. The girl noticed this and looked in my direction. "Need help?" she offered.

A strange feeling arose in my chest, unlike any I've ever felt before, and I couldn't find the words to respond, nor could I keep my eyes from looking straight into hers. "I..uh," I began.

She smiled. "Here," she said, standing up so that she could assist me. She grabbed my hand, about to pull me up, when she paused for no apparent reason. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she continued to stare at me. I tilted my head, unsure of what had just crossed her mind.

"It's your eyes again. They just flashed all sort of colors. Lavender, baby blue, brownish. Now they're dark green," she said.

Lavender? That's a new color for me. I had seen Dark's eyes flash lavender once, when some girl had decided to keep him company during lunch.

Wait, what?!

A blush crept across my face as I realized what lavender meant.

I snapped back to reality, the girl still clutching my paw. "Yea, they change with emotion," I informed.

"Interesting," she noted. She set me back down on the bed lying down and sat on the bottom bunk so she could face me. "Lavender just happens to be my favorite color. Could you tell me what it means?"

I mentally cursed as my blush deepened.

The girl laughed. "They're lavender again," she said, pointing at me.

Dammit... Would my eyes stop doing that?!

Noticing my silence and my futile attempts to cover up my blush with the covers, she giggled silently and said, "I think I may have a feeling what it means." She smiled playfully. I was sure I was bright red by now.

I remained silent as I waited for the blush to dissolve. She went up to me and patted my head playfully.

"It's ok. I must admit, you look rather cute when you blush." She laughed as my cheeks burned brighter. "May I ask your name, my adorable savior?"

I cleared my throat. "Sorry for not introducing myself. My name's Magnus, but most call me Meta," I informed.

She smiled. "Meta. I like that," she chirped. "Oh, no. I should be sorry; I haven't introduced myself, either. How rude of me." She stood up and gave a slight bow. "My name is Gar-"

Suddenly, the door opened, causing her to snap her head in the direction of the doorway and stop mid-sentence. My father stepped in slowly, bags under his eyes and a distraught look on his face. He eyed me out of the corner of his eye, not even bothering to smile or greet me. My vision began to flash between tinges of indigo and green as my eyes changed color.

My father bowed to the girl, then turned to me. "Magnus," he began, his voice distant and low. "May I have a word with you?"

I nodded slowly, stiffly.

He motioned to the girl. "This regards you as well. Come to the living room." The girl walked out silently, and my father grabbed my hand and led me down the hallway. I had to lean on him for support; I was limping badly, every step sending a jolt of pain up my side.

We came to a rather large room, adorned with small wooden and leather furniture, a large painting of of the ocean on the far wall, a wooden table in the center, and a bookshelf around the fireplace. The fire gave the room a cozy orange glow, illuminating the solemn faces of my siblings. Each of them stood up and bowed to the girl as she entered, then sat back down.

My father picked me up and set me gently on the most plush chair, the girl sat next to me, and he sat on the largest chair by the fireplace. He looked at me with a sophisticated look in his eyes, intelligent yet caring and fearful. Dark's eyes kept shifting from green to indigo, sometimes even turning a depressed dark grey. Even Dragato's usually upbeat aura was now thick and full of grief.

The girl looked like she was going to cry, knowing very well what we were going to talk about.

My father was the first to break the silence.

"Magnus," he spoke softly.

"Dad, I can explai-"

He silenced me by putting up a hand. "Magnus, my beloved child, I cannot describe how truly proud I am of you. You risked your life for that of another, and gave the Queendom of Vistula a new hope, a hope that shines through even at the loss of these times."

Dark fidgeted and twitched strangely. I seemed to be the only one who noticed.

My father continued.

"You saved the princess of Vistula, Magnus."

My world began to spin. Me, saving the princess? It seemed a bit far fetched, but made perfect sense when all of the events were taken into account. Realization hit me, and the girl began to sob.

This girl was Princess Garlude, heir and future Queen of the Vistuline throne.

The Queen, her mother, was dead.

Turning back towards the princess, he said, "I know how difficult and sudden this may seem, My Lady, and I am truly sorry for your loss. But, we are in the midst of a great time of sorrow and and change. Your mother trusted me greatly, and I shall help you guide this nation through these times. You must know that you are not alone, and that all of us are in this together. Are you ready, My Lady?"

My father stood up and walked towards the princess. The rest of us looked expectantly at her.

Garlude wiped a tear from her cheek and rose from the chair. After closing her eyes for a moment in deep thought, she reopened them, a glint of determination sparking in her red eyes.

"I am ready."

O O O

The three had left the room to get washed up for dinner at Orion's cottage, leaving me alone with my father. I could not walk by myself, a frustrating disability, and had to wait for his assistance.

My father continued to gaze at me, as if contemplating whether to tell me something. His facial expression never wavered, concealing his motives from me.

After what seemed like an eternity, he made his way towards my chair. He kneeled down to my eye level, then began to gently remove my bandages.

"If these don't get changed, they will be prone to infection," he murmured to himself.

He began with the one on my foot, revealing a dark brown gash. I winced at the sight; had the wolf really done that to me?

He got up and retrieved a small bottle and some cotton from a cupboard, setting them on the floor as he continued to unwrap the gauze. Opening the bottle, he soaked the cloth with the liquid and began to dab it onto my wounds. I tensed up instinctively as my wounds began to burn.

"Sorry," he whispered, his voice almost inaudible.

He then unwrapped the most deeply stained of the bandages- the one on my side. I could not see the cut due to my spherical form, but from the way his eyes widened and shined over from forcing the tears to not shed, I could only imagine the worst.

Footsteps approached from the hallway, and Garlude entered. She gasped as she saw my wound and ran up to where I sat.

"Oh, my. Will that heal?" she questioned my father.

"All we can do is pray and hope, My Lady," he replied. He tensed up from seeing my wince as he began to clean up the deep gash. The girl sat next to me and held one of my paws, unmoved by the fact that I wore nothing but bandages.

Once he finished redressing my injuries, my father stood up to his full height. His eyes widened a bit when he saw how she clutched my hand, but his shock was soon replaced by grief.

"I'm sorry, Magnus," he began, collecting the bloodied bandages as he spoke. "This is all my fault. I should have left you here in the safety of the valley. You are still much too young for combat, but I was so foolish, too selfish for the glory of being able to lead an army, too blind to see that-" He paused as his voice cracked. "That you could have been killed."

I was a bit taken aback. I sat silently, letting his words sink in. The girl put an arm around my shoulders, the warmth soothing my fragile spirit.

My father took a deep breath, looking at the floor as his voice whispered through the air. "Forgive me, my son," he breathed. He tilted his face so that his eyes locked with my own. Despite my attempts to not cry, a tear slipped down my face.

This is my father, who I had believed to have been perfect, always loyal and caring.

But I had been too ignorant to notice his flaws, the flaws that had always ended up being paid for by me, to whom he had always clung to. I weighed his words, knowing that a bond like this should never be broken. The events of last night signaled the beginning of a new era. An era of war. And we would have to remain strong, _semper fidelis, _in order to overcome whatever may lie in our path.

"I forgive you."

O O O

**And there ya have it. Chapter 4. This was very difficult to write out, 'specially that last part...**

**I'm on break from school for the entire remainder of this week for US Thanksgiving, so expect updates galore! (I know. I have neglected "I know how you feel") But expect that to be updated next! (if I'm not too lazy) :P**

**Yes, I shall ship MK and Garlude. :3**

**Please let me know what you think of this chapter! :)**

**~Dreamer**


	5. Alpha

**After going down with the flu, I somehow managed to type this up. **

**Plute: Thanks for the feedback! ^^ Yeah, there isn't much MK x Garlude on this site. As for her fate, I can't tell you anything without spoiling the story..**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Kirby characters. I only own the plot.**

_POV: Unknown_

I am blind; I cannot see

The faces once filled with glee

I am deaf; I cannot hear

The voices of those once near

I am mute; I cannot speak

Words of my soul, now pale and weak

I am deaf; I cannot hear

I am blind; I cannot see

...

I am awakened by the light of a fire. Flames dance against the wood with much likeness as to how they danced with my father. Stepping to an uneven beat, swaying with the wildness of the wind.

My chest burned with heartache, a grieving loss that overpowered my physical pain. My hands were crusted with red, my father's azure sword stained with demon's blood. My head was still spinning from blood loss and my lungs burned, reminding me that I was still alive.

Breathing. Alive.

Beside me lay the blade and my coat. The coat lay partially on top of me. I managed to dig out the flower without causing too much pain to myself.

The petals were tinged with black, turning the blue sky into dark clouds of smoke. _In memory of me..._

Something in the room shifted. I reached for the blade, certain I could defend myself a second time. My wounds screamed in protest, but I ignored them. I slowly inched my hand towards the hilt. The tip of my paw brushed against its cool surface.

The figure shifted again, now blocking the light of the fire. I inwardly cursed; my vision had already been blurred, and now I could see nothing.

Suddenly, a triangularly shaped figure began to glow a hot red. I froze, both out of surprise and fear. Then, the figure glowed brighter, until I could make out a pair of amber eyes behind the the object. The eyes shined with my reflection, an image I would never forget.

I was wrapped in white feathers, all drenched with my own blood. My skin was burnt in patches and was colored a ghostly pale. I continued to gaze at my reflection through her eyes, until she closed them.

"Interesting," she noted quietly, opening her eyes once more. The object ceased its glowing, allowing the fire to illuminate the room instead. It was a rather dull, but I preferred it over the light of the object.

She went back to the fire. She tapped the wood with the object, and the flames burst into life once more. I was a bit startled by this, but also amazed. She seemed to note my reaction.

The fire's light filled the whole area, giving me the chance to properly survey my surroundings. I was in some sort of cave. The smell of dampness overcame that of the fire.

A cave...

Memories rushed back to me all at once. How my father had sacrificed himself for me, how I never saw Mother again, how someone had saved me. How I had to get to the caves...

The woman continued to gaze at the fire with sorrow. She had surrounded it with stones, and now sat on one set farther apart from the rest.

She appeared to be one of my kind, with a spherical form and large feet. Her skin was dark magenta, not unlike my mother. Her presence sent waves of grief through me, knowing fully well that she will never return.

What was most interesting about this person was perhaps her wings. They were angel-like, with long, silky white feathers. They gracefully draped by her sides. One wing seemed to be missing some of the longer feathers. I figured that she had used those to bandage me up, and therefore she did not present any true harm.

Her golden brown eyes flicked towards me for the briefest moment before returning to rest upon the fire.

"Wh- where's everyone else?" I asked weakly. I was shocked at myself that I had spoken up.

The object in her hand glowed strangely for a moment. Then, sighing, she closed her eyes once more. "I'm...sorry," she choked out through her cracking voice. "You're the only one I saw."

Her words sunk in. I forced back the tears as they tried to surface.

"Where you the one who saved me?" I wondered aloud.

She turned towards me and nodded slowly, the object flashing with an odd pulse.

We sat in silence for another moment, both of us entranced by the dancing fire. After what seemed like an eternity, she got back up and walked towards me. Then she paused in front of me.

I took this time to study what she held in her gloved right hand. It appeared to be made out of metal, with a sharp, pointed edge. I wanted to call it a sword, but the device was too triangular, almost like a cone.

"It's called a lance," she informed, seemingly reading my thoughts. She eyed the sword on the ground. "May I see that?"

I had managed to grasp the handle, the metal now glowing a crisp light blue. "It belongs to my father. He entrusted me with it," I replied, suddenly defensive of the weapon. It was all I had left of him, and I will protect dearly.

"I am well aware of that," she answered cooly. She reached down towards its hilt, but suddenly flinched and stumbled backwards as soon as she touched it for no apparent reason. I had felt strange when she had touched it, and saw how the sword had glowed rather bright when she had done so. She dropped her lance and began to sooth her hand.

She began to mutter under her breath as she stroked it. "It can't be..." she whispered. "The lineage... it just can't be..."

"What can't be?" I demanded.

Her her eyes were now wide. "Did your father have wings?" she questioned harshly, ignoring my previous question.

I began to search my throbbing mind. Memories of my father teaching me to dance, how to wield his sword, but none of how to fly. Then I remembered a distant night, one of the few nights when we weren't attacked, under the stars. I was very young, and I could not fall asleep. Shuffling footsteps were heard outside my bedroom door. I decided to follow them. I went down the narrow hallway and out the door, until I could make out a dark silhouette against the night sky. I remember tugging the edges of my night gown around me from the chilly wind. The silhouette spread wings and was about to take off, when he stopped. He turned to look at me, and I realized he was my father.

I remember coming up to him, amazed. I asked him if he could take me to fly. He picked me up in his strong arms, and we flew into the night, around the mountains, up to the stars themselves.

I remembered how the wind rushed up at my face, how then I had felt joy and freedom. And now all that had vanished in a matter of minutes.

"Did he?" she aked again, almost desperately.

"Yes," I answered hesitantly.

"Were they like mine or leathery?" she pressed.

"Leathery."

She closed her eyes once more, as if in deep thought. "That explains it."

"That explains what?" I asked. Despite my tiredness and fatigue, I was getting impatient with all the secrets she was keeping from me at the moment.

She turned away from me and faced the fire. "There's so much I need to tell you, dear. So much, and you're so young..." she drifted off.

After a moment of her not speaking anymore, I decided not to press the matter for the time being. I fell asleep.

...

When I woke once more, the first thing I noticed was the unlit fire and the rays of sunshine coming in from the cave's entrance. I had slept the whole night.

Then I noticed that the woman had gone missing. At first I panicked, thinking that she had abandoned me, then I gave it a second thought and figured she had probably gone to look for survivors or food. I realized I still didn't know her name. I made a mental note to ask her about it when she returned.

The last thing I noticed was that my wounds had healed significantly overnight. I could sit up without any pain. I found this rather bizarre, and began to wonder if I had really slept for only one night.

My father's sword still lay be my side, unmoved since the incident that had harmed the woman. I picked it up efortlessly, running a paw over its smooth silver blue surface. The word _Cristyce _was engraved on the lapis lazul hilt in golden letters, followed by foreign symbols beneath it in tiny print.

The blade sent waves of despair through my mind, thinking of how I would never see my family again. But my father would want me to stay strong, and my mother had wanted me to never lose hope no matter how hard times may seem. All of us knew an attack like the one that occurred on that evening was possible, and we had learned to fear for the worst.

The sound of flapping wings echoed throughout the cave, soon followed by footsteps. I shifted my eyes to the right as the woman walked in. She was now wearing a white mask with a cross shaped visor and carried a shield along with her lance. Her mask had golden horns potruding from it, perhaps for extra defense.

I watched as she removed the mask and set her things down by the cave wall.

"Good morning," she greeted. "How do you feel, dear?"

"Good morning," I replied, my voice much steadier than it had been before. "Much better, thank you." I paused. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Just through last night."

"Then how are my wounds almost completely healed?"

She folded her right wing and stroked the feathers. "I discovered that my feathers have healing powers. Fascinating, isn't it?"

I blinked, trying to process this. "Very," I responded.

"Now," she began. "I haven't properly introduced myself. I am Galacta Knight, from the star of Sirius. And you, dear?"

"Akiane, from...here. I'm not sure what the name of this planet is, actually."

"Alpha," she answered. She started to head back towards the exit. "I'm going to see if any food or water can be salvaged."

"Wait."

She peeked over her shoulder as she strapped her mask on. "Hmmm?"

A thousand things began running through my mind. To thank her for saving me, to stay a little longer. That I didn't want her to leave just like my mother had.

"Be careful," I said finally, stupidly.

"Thank you, dear." And she left.

O O O

_The Ashes of Vistulaire_

_Narrated POV_

_-_One intergalactic message saved. Playing message-

_Mireille? Mireille, can you hear me?_

A black-cloaked figure hunched over the device, chuckling inwardly as the man called the perished woman's name in vain. The surrounding palace walls groaned and creaked, but he paid no heed to it as he clutched the small machine to his ear.

_My lady, I know this is bad timing, but I must tell you that Orbis in no longer safe from his grasps. I realize that for many years we had believed that it was situated far too close to the edge of the universe to become involved in the war, but I have seen otherwise._

_I can assume you know very well of the situation in Alpha, no? _

The figure cringed at the mention of the planet.

_Our radar has shown a rather significant increase of dark matter activity in the area. We sent troops over to inspect, and I am afraid to say none have returned to this day._

_The dark matter appears to have gone by unscathed, and now heads for Orbis. My lady, I advise you to take immediate action. Your people have enjoyed their time of peace and tranquility, but times are changing. We are in the midst of great despair. _

There was an odd pause. Shouting could be heard in the background. The figure stared at the device in confusion, but to no avail; it had no screen of any kind.

The voice returned, but the line had suddenly become distorted with static.

_Mireille, I am afraid that I mus...Base - on fire...attack...unexpected, most inconvenient - The only way for your planet to be saved is for you to - _The voice suddenly stopped as a violent shuffling and the sound of ringing metal resonated.

The last thing heard before the line was cut off were the man's final screams.

O O O

**Who is that mysterious character? What is this lineage that Galacta speaks of? Why am I doing this cliche questionaire? Stay tuned to find out! **

**Kudos to anyone who can guess the character that appears in the ending! Hint: he is from the anime and used to work for the GSA until he got called over to the Dark Side.**

**The Dark Side...**

**P.S. Next chapter will be pretty long, I promise!**


End file.
